Thought I would kill some time this morning and share My “Top Water” methods.First I stopped doing that because it required Me to be on the water at first light.That means night travel at 4-5am on the water.I at this time have no friends that want to get up at 4am on the chance they may get some fish.15 years ago I did it alone and had a blast.However back to reality and top water plugs.I used a “Zara silver spook” most of the time.If I had short strikes I had a rod ready with a Mirro TT 26.I had at least 4 rods pre rigged one with a Zara chrome,second a Zara red and white,3rd a Bone and last a Buzz bait of several colors usually white.My approach was simple look for structure that holds fish.I also like small guts that open to a flat and have a deep water fish escape cut.I would on dead high tide anchor up at the mouth of the gut and as soon as the water starts to move throw something as far as possible up that gut(cut).I would let it drift out and then start walking the dog.I would do that maybe 10 times and then if i saw no action or bait movement go to the next cut.I like flats that hold lots of bait.If I see no bait action I move on to the next flat.You must in most cases have Mullet to bring in the fish.On some of my plugs I changed hooks from trebs to single hooks.I did that due to rookies hooking everything in sight on back casts.Also getting hung up and jerking the plug right back at them.The thought off all those trebs coming at you is not good.Besides unhooking a fish with a plug moving around is also tough to handle for a non seasoned fisherman.Best way to find fish is at first light cut the motor and look at the area.At first light things start to fire up on the water.Birds are a great way to find bait.You see birds on the bank that means bait is near.bait near means some kind of fish Is close at hand looking for dinner.Present your plug like a wounded bait and you may just get lucky.Make sure you have the right tackle for the job.There are lots of plugs that work but just get a few.They are expensi
Nice post Joe, thanks! As I have said in earlier posts, I have not had the pleasure of hooking up via a top water plug but very much look forward to the opportunity. Looks like some good info.
quote:
Originally posted by stonomanI use the Zara line with the color chrome,both jr size and regular. Bone color looks like a big tampon but it works great.
chock full o’ pro tips!
ever use a popping plug, stono? i have one that dad gave me for christmas… i’m going to try it once i catch enough fish that i feel like changing the zara.
DF- i’ve seen your enthusiasm for the sport grow and broaden from reading your comments, and i can say there’s nothing like topwater fishing for a rush.
yesterday morning, when a 12+ pound copper submarine came halfway out of the water three times in a row, and finally got hooks on the last explosion, it was enough to make me wonder why i haven’t been doing this for years. follow stono’s advice and give it a try one morning (or any time it’s very overcast and calm)… you’ll be addicted too!
I have several chuggers and they also work.One is orange with black bars.Trout love it.
Stonoman
I am nothing if not enthusiastic!
I hope the new breed of toppers will post soon.
Stonoman
I put on a badonk yesterday and the wind helped me throw it a mile.LOL I had to stop due to being unable to control the plug in 20 mph wind.LOL
Stonoman
I love getting out there really early and throwing topwater. At first I used to yank to hard and the lure came flying. Then after getting knocked out a few times with the spook I learned to let the fish basically hook itself before pulling, but it gets your heart pumping like no else. chrome spook is my fav, never had to much luck with the badonkadonk’s.
ever tried a lucky craft “sammy”? it is another walk the dog bait that is awesome. kind of expensive tho. if i get mine hung ill go swimming for it or possibly slide my plug plucker on there as 15 to 18 bucks is a lot for a lure to me. i also like storm chug bug, rebel pop r, smithwick devils horse, and heddon torpedas for non walk the dog lures. i absolutely love top water fishing. i have only caught a few saltwater fish on top water but i have caught thousands of freshwater species on them. I am pretty sure that a trout/red will hit all of those mentioned above. good luck fishing!!!
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
wow, i wish i had caught thousands of species of fish. i mean thousands of fish of many different species.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
Pop R is a great plug.I have caught many trout using it.
Stonoman
i am thinking of getting a sebile stick shad in blood red white.
check it out.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
I use the crome or white spook. A couple of years ago I went out before sunrise and caught 3 ribbon fish, 4lb ladyfish, a mess of trout and my buddy caught a flounder on a yellow top dog by working it right by a crabtrap.
quote:
Originally posted by jimmyaadamsi am thinking of getting a sebile stick shad in blood red white.
check it out.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
sebile only makes lures you HAVE to go swimming for when they get hung up! 15 bucks seems cheap for this:
compared to $38 for ONE “magic swimmer”… that’s a 6 pack of spooks!!!
I like to start with large “walk the dog” types, Rapala skitterwalks and Mirrolure Topdogs are good and loud. They cast a mile, covering more water and seem to work best for me if fish are very aggresive. If getting short strikes and swirls, will switch to a more subtle, slower, lure, like a mirrolure 7m or the storm chug bug.
Mirrolure makes a prop bait that is easy for beginners to operate (take front prop off to reduce fouling).
Prefer natural mullet colors. Rattles very helpful.
Reds prefer a rythmic retieve, trout generally prefer pauses and erratic behavior. When sun gets up and fish loose interest in topwater try a mirrolure catch 2000, fish with lots of snaps and pauses.
Bodankadonk is great marketing, lure is unstable and hard to fish.
Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com
I have good success with Spook Jr.'s after replacing the hooks with Owner Stx hooks. We caught some really big trout 23-25" on the Badon-a-Donks last fall. I like the Mirro-lure She-dog or Badonk-a-Donk high pitch if there is a little chop on the water. Both have really loud rattle. Chuggers also work well for me if the water is not calm. Prop baits have worked well and a former largemouth fisherman learned me that one. When fishing a rip you can really get a lot of action while working the actual bait slower and staying in the strike zone longer. Great information shared by others on this thread.
saltwater topwater fishing is absolutely my favorite thing to do, killed the trout last summer on a bone colored super spook jr. one thing ive noticed is that you need to work it ALL THE WAY back to the boat/dock because trout often hit it right at the end of the retrieve
Sorry guys, the subtle, floating mirrolure is the 11 series, not 7 series as i reported…
Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com
Need advice on top…using big Chrome red chin Zara 6 inch I think…get plenty of hits but hook up rate poor about 1 per 7…I realize trout hit different than Largemouth( the only fish i have previously targeted with top water)but with those large sharp trebles I would think hookup would be better. Even when I switch to Bangalores with smaller hooks same result. I have tried setting hooks both quick and patient.Gotta love that top water action though